Luminous high tension indicator



March 10, 1964 F. ALEXANDER LUMINOUS HIGH TENSION INDICATOR Filed April27. 1961 FIG.|

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FIG

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INVENTOR. F. Alexander FlG.8

ATTORNEY.

United States Patent C) 3,124,712 LUMXNGUS HIGH TENSIUN KNDICATGRFocsaneanu Alexander, 3911 153rd St., Flushing, FLY. Filed Apr. 27,1961, Ser. No. 106,164 4 Claims. (Cl. 313-202) The present inventionrelates to a luminous high tension marker or indicator for use on AC.high tension or extra high tension transmission lines or systems toserve as a guide or warning signal for airplanes, or in general toindicate the presence of high electric tension in generating,transforming, transmission and the like electrical installations. Moreparticularly, the invention is concerned with devices of this typeutilizing a luminous gaseous discharge device or flash tube designed forunipolar connection to or direct energization from an A.C. high tensioncarrying part, such as a high tension line, supporting pole or tower, orthe like high tension structure.

It has already been proposed to energize a luminous gas discharge devicedirectly from an A.C. high tension transmission line by the provision ofan auxiliary cable or conductor suspended from and extending over asubstantial length of and at close spacing distance from said line, toform a capacitative voltage divided or coupling circuit by the mutualcapacities between the conductor and the line, on the one hand, andbetween the conductor and ground, on the other hand. A gaseous dischargetube is connected between the conductor and the line to be energized bycapacitative coupling with said line, to produce a luminous warning orindicating signal.

A major disadvantage of arrangement of this type is due to the fact thatfor practical purposes the auxiliary conductor must have a considerablelength, that is, from about to 50 meters to provide an adequate capacitycoupling required for supplying the energy for the maintenance of asustained gaseous discharge through said tube. Furthermore, suchindicators, while limited to suspension from a line and requiring aconsiderable number of parts or insulators and special installationoperations, are further subject to the influence of adverse atmosphericconditions, in particularly wind and storms, likely to interfere withthe proper operation thereof and making necessary frequent repairs,aside from other drawbacks and defects as will be understood.

Accordingly, among the objects of the present invention is the provisionof an improved A.C. high tension indicator or marker of the general typereferred to which is substantially devoid of the foregoing and relateddihiculties and drawbacks inherent in the known devices according to theprior art; which is both simple and compact in design and constructionas well as of low cost in manufacture; which may be suspended from orotherwise connected to a high tension carrying part or line instantly orwithout requiring any special skill or installation operations; andwhich will be substantially unaffected by varying atmospheric conditionsin providing a safe and efficient guide or high-tension warning signal.

The invention, both as to its ancillary objects as well as novelobjects, will be better understood from the following detaileddescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, formingpart of this specification and in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a known gaseous high tensionindicator utilizing an extended auxiliary conductor or cable as acoupling means with a high tension line and shown for the purpose ofbetter understanding of the improvements according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic basic diagram illustrating the improved hightension indicator constructed in accordance with the principles of theinvention;

3,124,712 Patented Mar. 19, 1&64

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FIGS. 3 and 4 are views similar to FIG. 2, illustrating improvedfeatures thereof;

FIGS. 5 to 7 illustrate examples of practical forms for carrying intoeifect the invention; and

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view of still another practical embodiment ofthe invention.

Like reference numerals denote like parts in the diiierent views of thedrawing.

With the foregoing objects in view, the invention involves generally theprovision in connection with a gaseous discharge or flash tube, used asa luminous high tension indicator or warning device, of an extendedmetallic electrode or conducting surface in relatively fixed relation toand forming an integral part of the device, such as in the form of alight-pervious coating or enclosure directly applied to the wall of orforming a separate protective cover of said tube, said tube having afirst electrode adapted or constructed for direct connection to orsuspension from an AC. high tension carrying part, such as atransmission line, and having a second cooperating electrodeelectrically connected to said metallic or conducting surface.

In an arrangement of this type, with the mutual capacity between saidconducting surface or electrode and the high tension line beingnegligible, the impedance of the tube forms a voltage divider togetherwith the mutual capacity between said surface and ground, in such amanner as to supply a small A.C. energizing current for the maintenanceof a sustained luminous gas discharge through said tube, provides aproper design of the tube to have a critical or breakdown voltage lessthan the applied fractional voltage of the total voltage between saidline and ground.

According to an improved feature of the invention, the gaseous dischargetube or indicator is shunted by an auxiliary capacitor, to im rove andstabilize the operation of the tube. According to a further improvement,the provision of a series rectifier preceding the tube and auxiliarycapacitor results in an intermittent in place of a continuous operationor luminous discharge, that is, in a series of luminous flashesindicating the presence of the high tension carrying part to which thedevice is connected.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 1 of the drawing, there is shown awell-known high tension marking or indicating device comprising a cableor auxiliary conductor 1th suspended from an AC. high tension or extrahigh tension line 11 and extending parallel to and at close spacing fromsaid line. The conductor w is supported by means of a plurality of highvoltage suspension insulators 12 and has one end connected to the line11 by way of a lead or conductor 14 and a gaseous discharge tube 13containing a suitable rarified gaseous atmosphere and having pair ofelectrodes (anode and cathode) 13a and 13b. In an arrangement of thistype, since the surface of the auxiliary cable It} is rather limitedrelative to the surface presented by the line 11, a cable or auxiliaryconductor 10 of considerable length is required, to ensure an effectivecoupling or energy supply for the tube 13 by the voltage divider orcoupling circuit comprised of the mutual capacitance 1'7 between theconductor 1t} and the line 11, on the one hand, and the mutualcapacitance 13 between said conductor and ground 16, on the other hand.This, in turn, requires especially skilled labor for the installation ofthe device, not considering the costs of the substantial number of hightension insulators and other parts required. Furthermore, a device ofthis type is subject to the eitects of atmospheric influences, such aswinds and storms, liable to interfere with the proper and safefunctioning or to completely interrupt the operation of the device.

Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown diagrammatically a basic hightension indicator according to the invention, comprising a luminousgaseous discharge tube 13 having one of its electrodes 13a adapted, asshown at id, for direct connection with or suspension from a hightension carrying part, such as a transmission line 11, and having itscooperating electrode 13!) electrically connected, as at 2!, to a lightpervious conducting screen or the like protective enclosure 2:) of saidtube. In an arrangement of this type, with the mutual capacitancebetween the electrode and the line 11 being practically negligible, theelectrical impedance of the tube 13 together with the mutual capacitance22 between the electrode or surface 2t) and ground 16 forms a voltagedivider or coupling circuit, resulting in the energization of the tube13 by the AC. high voltage current of the line 11, provided a properdesign of the tube such as to cause the voltage drop between the tubeelectrodes 13a and 13b to be equal to or greater than the critical orionizing voltage of the rarified gaseous atmosphere within said tube.The higher the operating or line voltage, the easier this condition maybe fulfilled and the simpler and more efiicient will be the design andconstruction of the device. The latter may be suspended from a desiredpoint of the line 11, in the manner shown in the drawing, or otherwiseconnected to or mounted upon a high tension carrying part of atransmission system. The invention is accordingly of special advantagefor use in connection with very high or extra high voltages of the orderof from about ten thousand to several hundred thousand volts. Theelectrode or envelope 2'3 may be in the form of a metal screen,perforated cylinder or the like designed to allow the passage of anadequate amount of the light produced by the gaseous discharge withinthe tube 13. Alternatively, the enclosure or housing 26) may consist ofglass or another transparent or translucent insulating material to thesurface of which is applied a thin metallic screen or light perviousconducting coating or layer produced by means of a known metallizationprocess, or in any other suitable manner known in the art. Finally, thelight pervious metallic or conducting layer may be directly applied tothe surf ce of the discharge tube 13 to serve as an extended electrodesurface for the purpose of the present invention.

According to an improved embodiment of the invention, in an effort tostabilize the operation of the discharge tube and to increase the AC.energy coupling with the line 11, as well as to enhance the flexibilityand usefulness of the device, the tube 13 may be shunted by a capacitor24 of suitable size or electrical capacitance, as shown in FIG. 4 of thedrawing, in such a manner as to provide a capacitative voltage dividerin cooperation with the mutual capacitance 22 between the electrode 2t)and ground 16. Furthermore, in order to further improve the operation ofthe device and to increase the efliciency of the energy coupling withthe line 11, the tube 13 together with its shunt capacity 24 may bepreceded by a series rectifier 25, the latter preferably being of thedry or solid state type and serially connected in the terminal conductoror lead 14, in the manner more clearly shown in FIG. 4.

In an arrangement of the latter type, the operation of the tube 13 willbe intermittent by the alternate charging of the capacitor 24 throughthe rectifier 25 and subsequent breakdown of or discharge through thetube upon reaching the ionizing or critical operating voltage of thetube. This operation, which results in the production of a consecutiveseries of discrete luminous flashes, is not only advantageous for thespecial use of the device as a warning signal or marker by attractingattention in preference to interfering neighboring and continuous lightsources, but has the further advantage of enabling the capacitor 24 toaccumulate a sutficient amount of electrical energy or charge during theintervals between succcssive light flashes such as to result in theproduction of an intense and instantaneous discharge of the tube at theinstant of reaching the breakdown voltage by the capacitor during acharging operation. If desirable, a series resistor 19 may be providedin the lead or conductor 14, to control the flashing rate or frequency,in a manner readily understood. In a similar manner, the length orduration of the light flashes may be controlled to achieve an optimumluminous effect and efficiency by the insertion of a resistor orinductor in the discharge circuit or in series with the tube 13 andcapacitor 24.

FIGS. 5 to 7 illustrate in greater detail various constructionalembodiments of a luminous high tension suspension indicator or markeraccording to the invention. More particularly, according to FIG. 5, thedevice may consist in a simple manner of an insulating cap or the likesupport 30 having attached or otherwise secured thereto a cylindricalprotective metal screen 31 enclosing the discharge tube 13. The lattermay be of well-known helical or the like shape or construction, toobtain the desired operating or breakdown voltage. Mounted within thecap 3% may be a capacitor 32 and rectifier 33, being electricallyconnected within one another and the other parts of the circuit in themanner as shown by FIG. 4. The complete device or assembly may be simplysuspended from a line 11 by the hook-shaped construction of the terminalconductor 35, or by any other suitable means which will suggestthemselves to those skilled in the art.

FIG. 6 shows a similar construction with the metal screen of FIG. 5being replaced by a transparent insulating protective enclosure 36, suchas glass or the like, being covered by a thin metallic net or coated bya light pervious metallized or the like conducting coating or layer 37.FIG. 7 shows an alternative construction, wherein the metallic surfaceor electrode 38, corresponding to the electrode 20 of FIGS. 2 to 4, isapplied to the surface of the cap 3% and connected to the lowerelectrode of the tube 13 through a metallized strip or the like 40applied to the wall of the enclosure 36.

Finally, FIG. 8 shows schematically a construction of a luminous hightension marker according to the invention comprising a cylindrical lightpervious protective tube 41 enclosing the gas discharge tube 13 andbeing suspended at both ends from and parallel to a high tension line 11through a conductor 42, on the one hand, and through a suspensioninsulator 43, on the other hand, the extended metal surface or electrode44 being constituted in the example shown by a translucent metallizedcoating on the inside of the tube or enclosure 41, to form a floatingelectrode isolated from said conductor. The various parts areelectrically connected in the manner shown by the previous figures, andthe arrangement may comprise a stabilizing capacitor or a combination ofa capacitor and rectifier, to effect an intermittent operation of thetube 13, in the manner described and readily understood from theforegoing.

In the foregoing the invention has been described in reference to aspecific illustrative device. It will be evident, however, thatvariations and modifications, as well as the substitution of equivalentparts and elements for those shown herein for illustration, may be madewithout departing from the broader scope and spirit of the invention, asset forth in appended claims. The specification and drawing areaccordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than in arestrictive sense.

I claim:

1. A device for indicating alternating current high tension comprising aluminous gas discharge tube having a pair of electrodes, an insulatinglight-pervious enclosure enveloping said tube, a terminal conductorextending from one of said electrodes through said enclosure and adaptedfor connection to a high tension carrying part to be indicated, alight-pervious floating electrode having an extended surface and mountedwithin said enclosure in electrically isolated relation from saidconductor, and means electrically connecting said floating electrode tothe remaining electrode of said tube.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, said floating electrode beingcomprised of a light-pervious metallized coating applied to the insidesurface of said enclosure.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, said floating electrode beingcomprised of a light-pervious metallized coating applied to the insidesurface of said enclosure and substantially enveloping said tube.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, said floating electrode beingcomprised of a light-pervions metallized coating applied to the outsidesurface of said tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSVrooman Oct. 9, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS France May 13, 1930 SwitzerlandSept. 16, 1939

1. A DEVICE FOR INDICATING ALTERNATING CURRENT HIGH TENSION COMPRISING ALUMINOUS GAS DISCHARGE TUBE HAVING A PAIR OF ELECTRODES, AN INSULATINGLIGHT-PREVIOUS ENCLOSURE ENVELOPING SAID TUBE, A TERMINAL CONDUCTOREXTENDING FROM ONE OF SAID ELECTRODES THROUGH SAID ENCLOSURE AND ADAPTEDFOR CONNECTION TO A HIGH TENSION CARRYING PART TO